Gas-well apparatus.



PATE'NTED MAY 8, 1906.

F. J. MOSER.

GAS WELL APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED APR.8.1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1 INVENTOR E ed Jflh'f A TTOR/V 1 I Reference is to be had to theaccomp yv- UNITED STATES" PATENT OFFICE. f

* FRED JOSEPH MOSER, PENNSYLVANIA.

I GAS-WELL APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented May 8, 1906.

Application filed April 8, 1905 Serial No. 254,601.

5 Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Gas-Well Apparatus, of which the folowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

-My'invention relates'to deep Wells, more particularly used for supplying natural gas, IO

my special object being to provide means for removing water from the bottom of the well. a My invention further relates to certain constructional details hereinafter described, whereby an eflicient action of the mechanism' of the well is brought about.

ing dra'wings, forming a part of this specification, in which'similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views. Figure 1 is a vertical section through a well embodying my improvements, certain arts being in elevation and other parts broken away for the sake of clearness. Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing the water-barrel and its accompanyingparts, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing the bottom end of the water-barrel and also showing a moc ification in the valve mechanism for admitting water to the water-barrel.

The ground is shown at 4, the shot-hole at 5, and thetubular casing in contact with the I. earth- 4 is shown at 6, its outer boundary being coincident with the shot-hole. Apacker of the usual construction appears at 7, atubper end by an annular coupling 11 with a v substantially frusto-conical head 11. The

annular coupling 11 is provided with inletpressure of the well. A- sleeve 13., proyided with a port 13, is mounted concentrically within the upper cylinder 9 and is rigid relatively thereto; with passages 14 and with an annular head 14*. Encirclingthe core 14 are' oppositelydisposed annular packings 149143, preferably of leather. "They are spaced apart and held inp osi'tion by a ring 14?. The lowerzend of the core 14 is provided with an annular bead 14 and engaging the under side of this annular bead is an annular packing14 wlnchrests upon an annular ledge 14". The annular 5 5" beads 14 14 are separated by an-jannular I channel 141. "From the core 14 depends a ing at 8, and a coupling at 8. d An upper cyl-f inder is shown at-9 and is. connected at lts upvalves 12, which should be of proper sensitiveness to be opened by the natural-gas A hollowcore 14 is; provided a stem 19 and a head 20. The annular beads cage 17, which guides a ball-valve 18, having v I I 14 14 are separated by an annular channel 14 Threaded centrally within the sleeve 9 is a disk head-.20, which is rigidly con-. nected with the sleeve 13, so as to support the latter. The disk head 20 is provided with a central passage 20'. passage and depending from the disk head -20 into the lower cylinder 21 is a conductorpipe 22. The disk head 20 serves asa partition separating the upper cylinder!) from the lower cylinder or water-barrel 21, thus separating the water-barrel proper from that portion of the mechanism normally filled with gas, while the valve 18 prevents the gas from entering the water barrel from the upper end. The bottom end of the lower cylinder 21 is provided with a strainer 23, having Registering with this i perforations 26 and a closure-plug 25, which rests upon the earth, as indicated inFigsjl and 2. The upper end of the strainer 23 is ed to open upwardly so as to admit Water or other liquid as will be understood from Fi .2. In the form shown in Fig. 3 the lower cy der 21, containing a conductor-pipe 22?, is connected with an annular sleeve 21*, provided with inwardly-opening dependent valves 26, and to this annular member is rigidly connected a tube 23*, constituting virtually a continuation of the lower cylinder provided with a'valve 24'ofany design adapt- 21 and provided with a closure-plug 25?.

The, action of the parts shown in Fig. 3 is analogous to that of the parts shown at the lower extremity of Fig. 2that is to say, the liquid in entering the pipe 21" merely opens the valves 26 in much the same -manneras,- in passing through the perforations 26, it lifts the valve 24.

Connecting the sleeve 13 with the disk head 20 is a tubular passage-way 27, which is comparatively small and is adapted to per- 'mit communication between the ower cylinder 21 desi nated as the water-barrel the f l IOO annular passage 14*,a'nd the apertures 14%; The water-barrel is 'of considerable depth, as indicated by the break shown inFig. '2. The

passages 14 and 27 may be considered as virtual continuations of each other, as wilLbe understood-from Fig. 2. is used for forcing into the well at intervals 9. suitable quantity. of an aeriform bod preferably compressed gas drawn from t e well.

- If, however, for any reason it may be thought best to use compressedair, thiscan be done,

A pply-pip IIO tively, by hand-valves 32 and 34.

and being used as a blow-off pipe and the pipe 36 leading directly to a source for supplying the aeriform body. The pipe 36 is in connection with the pipe 33 by means of a hand-valve 39, provided for the purpose of I5 economizing the gas, as explained below.

The operation of my device is as follows At the outstart it will be understood that natural gas is a product of a porous rock, through which the gas forces itself toward any oint from which pressure has been remove It is customary, therefore, to shoot an oilwell. This has been done by lowering into the well to a point adjacent to the bottom an explosive substance and causing the same by 2 5 its explosion to rend the gas-bearing rock, so

as to form a cavity, (shown at 5 and designated as the shot-hole), By this means a considerable internal space is given to the well within the gas-bearing rock, so that the flow of the gas may reach its maximum. The

gas-bearing rock orthe rock above it, however, usually contains water, which. percolates downward and gathers in the bottom of the well. The quantity of water within the 3 5 well gets deeper and deeper, and the flow of gas into the well is thus obstructed to a considerable extent. In instances where the water becomes sufficiently-deep and where the gas-pressure is sufficiently low the flow of gas into the well is completely stopped.

Even if the gaspressure be strong and the volume of water comparatively small the Well labors under a considerable disadvantage unless the water can be readily removed.

' 5 It is undesirable, however, for the operator to continually stop the normal working of the well in order to remove the water. By my present invention I seek to enable the operator to remove the water at intervals as often as desired without obstructing the flow of gas from the well or interfering in the slightest degree with the perfect working of the well or any part of the well. In fact, I seek to make the removal of water utterly independent of the normal action of the well for purposes of supplying gas. I seek, moreover, to take temporary care of such water as may drift into the well by storing it in a reservoir made for the pur ose, so that its presence while in the well s all produce a minimum of hardship. The packer 7 prevents the rise of gas in the drill hole of the well beyond that point and forces it into the tubing 8, past the inlet-valves 12, to be carried up to the sur- 6 5 face of the earth. The gas being under pressure in the well, it presses downon the water in the shot-hole, forcing it up in the cylinder 21, and as the cylinders may be vented at the top of the well through the passages 27 14 tube 29, and valve 38 the distance the water will rise in the cylinder 21 higher than the level of the water in the shot-hole is equal to the pressure of the gas upon the water in the shot-hole, or, say, up to the dotted lines 21, Fig. 2. A considerable volume of water is thus virtually taken out of the shot-hole 5,or at least the level of the water within the shothole isconsiderablyreduced,so that the porous rock is comparatively free to discharge its gas into the shot-hole. If now a compressed aeriform mediumsuch, for instance, as natural gasbe allowed to flow through the pipe 36 in the manner Well known in this art, it passesdownward through the supplypipe 29 and passages 14 and 27 into the upper end of the lower cylinder 21. It thereupon exerts pressure upon the upper surface of the water in the lower cylinder, (the upper level being represented by the dotted lines 21,) and thus forces the water up through the conductor-pipe 22, so as to lift the valve 18 p and allow the water to pass out through the port 13, through the upper cylinder 9 and tubing 8, to the surface of the earth, where it is discharged through the pipe 31. For this purpose the valve 32 is opened and the valve 34 is closed. The pipe 33 leads to the usual devices used for conserving the flow of natural gas. The pipe 33 when the valve 34 is closed is filled with natural gas, which has a comparatively low pressure. If now after removing the water from the well, as above described, the valve 39 be opened by hand, the compressed aeriform body contained within the pipes-36 and 29 and the parts in communication with the same is release'ii into the gas discharge pipe 33 and conserved for future use. As this gas has while in the pipes a considerable pressure and as the pipes because of their great length have considerable capacity the saving in the gas thus effected, which would otherwise be Wasted through the blow-off 38 to the atmosphere when venting the water-barrel, is considerable.

It'will be noted that while any and all of well the tubing 8 is filed with water; but.

this fact does not prevent the as from accumulating Within the drill-ho e' below the packer 7, so that its supply into the well is IIO 1 it, the pressure the aeriform body admitted through the supply-pipe 29 becomes entirely independent of the gas-pressure within 7 the shot-hole and as much of the drill-hole as is below the packer 7.

While I preferably use the packer 7, 1 do not limit myself to its employment, as some I5 of the parts of my invention are independent of the work done by the packer.

Sometimes water accumulates in gaswells to such a height that the gas becomes entirely drowned out and the tubing above the valve 12 becomes filled with water as high as the Water. stands in the well. This distance -may be several hundred feet, and if the compressed medium were applied to raise the water it would not only have to raise the contents ofthe water-barrel, but in addition to it the volume of water standing in the tubing above the water-barrel. The pressure of this high column of water may exceed the pressure of the compressedmedium normally emraised. This situation is provided for as folployed, in which case the water could not be lows:

The arts 14, 14 ,14 14 14 14 ,14 ,14 14 14 ,17, 18, 19, and 20 as a whole are at tached to the pipe 29 and may be raised there: with independent of all the other mechanism, so that when water accumulates, as above described, the pipe 29, together with the parts name-d, may be lifted up from its seat as far as desired. Then the compressed medium may be discharged directly lnto the water standing in the tubing above the waterbarrel through the apertures 14*,and thereby raise that (portion of the water standing above the sai apertures. This may be re- 1pleated as often as necessary, and when a sufclent quantity of water has been removed in this way the pipe 29 may be lowered to its original position and the water raised from the water-barrel. I

When the compressed aeriform body has been applied, so as to raise the water in the waterarrel, as previously described, the liquid is lifted to the surface and ejected for the most part in the formof a solid column.

The lower end of this column, however, is

permeated to a greater or lesser extent by the aeriform body, which in expanding has a tendency to tear the lower end of the column and form a spray. This s ray, being a mixture of gas and water, if allowed to pass out to the atmosphere wa'stes the gas, for the reason that if the removal of the liquid be complete the lower end of the column must allow a considerable quantity of gas to, leave the tubing. To avoid this loss of gas, the valve 18 is mechanically closed as soon as the main body of liquid has been ejected and about the time the latter end of the discharge of liquid is turning into spray. This prevents the discharge of the spray at the surface and holds the gas that would otherwise be wasted in the spray within the tubing, and as the pressure of the gas within the tubing equallzes this portion of water representing the lower end of the column settles down on the partition 20? and accumulates in the tube Immediately above this partition, after which the gas confined within the tubing may pass out into the as-main by opening the valve 40. Having 1; us described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent I 1. The combination of ahollow member provided with a partition whereby it is divided into separate compartments, one being above the other, tubing connectedwith the upper of said compartments, means for ad mitting an aeriform body under pressure into the lower of said compartments, a valve mechanism for opening and closing the connection between said compartments, and means for admitting natural gas into the upper of said compartments.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of an upper cylinder ,provided with inlet-valves adapted to open automatically, a lower cylinder provided with inlet-valve mechanism, also adapted to open automatically, a partition normally closing the connection between said upper cylinder and said lower cylinder, a valve coacting with said partition and adapted to control communication between said upper and lower cylinders, and tubing connected with said u per cylinder, for carrying to the surface of the earth quantities of gas and water.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hollow member provided with a partition whereby it is separated into upper and lower compartments,

pressure-controlled valve mechanism for admitting a liquid into the lower of said compartments, a supply-pipe leading downward and provided with means for supplying an aeriform body under pressure into the lower of said compartments, valve mechanism for preventing retrogression of said liquid from the upper of said compartments to the lower compartment, and tubing connected with the upper of said compartments for d1scharg ing both said natural gas and said 1i uid.

4. In a device of the character escribed,

the combination of an upper cylinder pro-- vided with pressure controlled valves for admitting thereinto natural gas, a lower cylinder provided at a, point adjacent to its bottom with inlet mechanism for permitting a liquid to enter under pressure and for preventing the retrogression of said liquid, a partitiondisposed intermediate of said upper cylinder and said lower cylinder, a conductor-pipe mounted upon said partition and depending therefrom to a comparatively low point relatively to said lower, cylinder, a valve for opening and closing said conductorpipe, and tubing connected with said upper cylinder for the purpose of discharging said natural gas or said liquid therefrom.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of an upper cylinder provided with a sleeve concentric therewith and also provided with a passage, inlet-valves connected with said upper cylinder for admitting thereinto a supply of natural gas under pressure, a supply-pipe provided at its lower end. with a core for entering, said sleeve and further provided with packings dis osed upon opposite sides of said passage, said core being also provided with a second passage forming virtually, when said core is in position, a continuation of said passage within said cylinder, a lower cylinder connected with said upper cylinder and separated therefrom, valve mechanism for opening and closing commu nication between said upper cylinder and said lower cylinder, means for admitting a liquid into said lower cylinder and for preventing the retrogression of said liquid therefrom, and tubing connected with the upper end of said upper cylinder for the purpose of discharging said natural gas and said liquid from the same.

6. The combination of-tubing, a packer for Y rendering the same gas-tight, an upper cylinder in communication with said tubing, inwardly-opening valves mounted upon said upper cylinder for the purpose of admitting natural gas into the same, a lower cylinder connected with said upper cylinder and separated therefrom by a partition, valve mechanism for admitting a liquid into the said lower cylinder, a valve mounted upon said partition and adapted to open upwardly, so as to permit the discharge of said liquid from said lower cylinder into said upper cylinder, said liquid being adapted, by its entrance into said upper cylinder, to close the valves thereof, and means, controllable at will, for supplying an aeriform body under pressure into said lower cylinder.

7. In a device of the character described,-

the combination of tubing, a packer for rendering the same gas-tight, a hollow member connected with said-tubing and adapted to store a supply of a liquid, means for admit/ ting said liquid into said member, and mechanism for relieving pressure upon said liquid within said member, so as to cause the same to rise to a considerable height within said hollow member.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a'hollow member provided with an upper compartment and with a lower compartment, means for permitting natural gas to enter said up or compartment, tubing connected with said upper com art ment and adapted to permit the fiowo gas therefrom, means for forcing water into said lower compartment, valve mechanism for preventing retrogression of water into said lower compartment, and means for occasionally establishing communication between said lower compa'; tment and said upper compartment for the purpose of removing said water fgom said lower compartment.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of tubing, a packer encircling the same, mechanism having an upper compartment connected with the lower end of said tubing and provided with valves disposed above the upper level of the liquid in the well so as to admit natural gas into the upper po; tion of said mechanism, said mechanism being further provided with a lower compartment, means'rfor admitting a liquid into the lower compartment, valve mechanism connecting said upper and lower compal'tments together so that 'said liquid may be ejected from said lower compartment thjough said upper compa1tment without retrogression, and means for applying an aeriform body to the liquid contained within said lower compartment.

10. The combination of a hollow member provided with two compartments, means for admitting a liquid fr om the well into one of said compa; tments and for reventing retrogression of said liquid there om, tubing connected with the other of said compartments, valve mechanism for allowing a portion of liquid to pass from the lower compartment to the upper compartment and for preventing retrogression of said portion of liquid thus elevated, means for ap lying; an air-pressure to the liquid within sai lower compartment so as to eject said liquid through the upper compartment, and means for normally admitting natural gas into said upper compartment and said tubing.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of tubing, a packer for rendering the same tight so as to accumulate the pressure of natural gas into the well, a hollow member connected with said tubing for admitting thereinto a liquid pressed upon by natural as, means for relieving pressure upon sai liquid within said hollow member, valve mechanism for admitting said natural gas di 'ectly into said tubing, and mechanism controllable at will for raising said liquid from said hollow member'to the surface of the earth. j

'12; In a device of the character described, the combination of tubin adapted to conduct a liquid to the sur ace of the earth, means for continuously admitting natural gas from the well directly into said tubing, a

s11 ployzpip'e'mounted within saidtubing and "lable at will for venting said supply-pipe into said gas-discharge pipe so as to save the gas contents of said supply-pi e'. a v I 13. The combination a hollow member provided with a partition whereby itiis divided into se aiate compaztments one above the other, tu ing connected with the upper of said compa; tments, means for continuously admitting natural gas into said tubing, valve mechanism for opening and closing communication between said compartments, a sleeve mounted within the upper compa:'tment and in communication with the lower compa;tment, a hollow core mounted within said sleeve and p: ovided with a ertuzes, and a pi e connected with said hollow co e for disc arging an ae;.iform body thereinto.

14. The combination of a hollow member provided with a paLti-tion whereby it is di.

vided into sepa: ate compartments one located above'theother, tubing connected with bling a' column of water to form therein and tov .the upper of said compa; tments, means for continuously adn'. itting natu: al gas from the well into said tubing, a sleeve mounted Within the upper com aftment and incomniunication with the ower compartment, a hollow core mounted within said sleeve and provided with apeitu; es, annular packings enci; cling said hollow core and engaging "said sleeve so as to render said hollow core gastight relatively thereto, and means controllablefi om the su: face of the earth for dischargmg an-aerifo'im body into said hollow core.

15. The combination of a hollow member provided with a 'vided into se the other, "tu

partition. whereby it is. diarate compartments one above mg connected with the upper of said compartments, means for automatically' admitting natul al gasfrom the well into said tubing, valve mechanism for opening and closing communication between said com partments, a sleeve mounted within the upper compartment and in communication with the lower compartment, a hollow .core mounted within said sleeve and provided with apertures and with annularbeads, annular packlngs encircling'said-coreand engaging said annular beads, said packings also engaging said sleeve and forming an air-tight connection therewith, and means controllable at will from the surface of the ea;th for dis.-

charging an aeriform body into said hollow core. a Y

16. The combination of awater-barrel having means for admitting water thereinto ads jacent' to its lower end, tubin communicatmg with said water-barrel an leading to the surface of the earth, a packer encirclin said tubing, means for adnntting the normal flow of gas from the well into-said tubing at a point beneath said packer, avalve to prevent the said gas from passing downward mto the water-barrel, means for venting said waterbarrelat the surface of the earth so that the pressure of. the natural gas within the well may form a column of water within the water-barrel,.and meansgfor applying an aeriform body under pressure to said water within said water-barrel for the urpose of raising said water to the surface 0 the earth.

17. A gas-well apparatus of the character described, comprising a system of iping disvided with inlet mechanism for admitting water at a point adjacent to the bottom of the well, and also provided with inlet mech- 'posed within the well, said piping eing proanism for admitting gas at a level higher than the normal water-level of the well,-a member disposed between. said inlet for the water and said inlet for the gas, said memberseparating the interior of the pipin into lower and upper compartments to enab e the apparatus to convey the normal flow of gas to-the surface of the-earth under pressure through the upper compartment while relieving pressure.

cm the lower compartment, thereby enastand higher than the normal water-level of the well, a packer for confining natural gas vwithin the well, and means for applying'a compressed medium to'the waterin said lower compartment, a

'18. In a device of the character described, v

the combination of tubing, a packer connected therewith'for preventing the escape of the natural gas from. the well, a hollow member provided with upper and lower compartments, saidhollow member bei connected with said tubingso that one of-sa1d'compart ments is always in communication therewith, valves for admitting natural gas into the compartment thus communicating with said tub- I a mg, said valves being adapted to prevent the I escape of water passin upwardly themthrough, means for admitting a liquid into the other of said compartments, and mechuid thus admitted. 7

19. The combination of a water-barrel hav- "anis'm for applying an air-pressureto said'liqe a a 1 i 5 'ing'means adjacent to its lower end for admitting water thereinto, a'. partition for re-j venting, the ingress of gas into, the waterare 'rel from the upper end thereof means for venting said water-barrel at the surface of the earth 'torelieve'it of internal pressure so that the ressure of the natural gas in the well may orce waterinto saidwater-barrel to a level higher than that of the Water in the well,. I I

tubing connected to the water-barrel for the purpose'ofconductin both the gas and the water to the surface 0 preventin valve mec anism for admitti-n' sa'id tubing, and means when ll said gas to the earth, a packer 'for the escape of said natural'gas,

eta az ini 3 s for admitting an aeriform medium under pressure from the surface of the earth to the water-barrel for the purpose of dis lacing the water in said water-barrel and orcing the same through said tubing to the surface of the earth.

20. The combination of a tube continuous from a point adjacent to the bottom of the Well to the surface of the earth, means for admitting gas into said tube, means for admitting water into said tube, a partition within said tube disposed at a point between the inlet for the gas and the inlet for the water, said partitionhaving a conductor-pipe attached thereto, a valve for preventing gas or water from passing downwardly from the tube above said partition, and means for applying an aeriform body to the water in the tube below said partition for the purpose of raising said water to the surface of the earth.

21. The combination of a tube continuous from'a point adjacent to the bottom of the well to the surface of the earth, sa d tube of the earth while that portion below the sepaa ration is used as a receptacle for water, means for admitting water from the well into said tube below said separation, means for admitting gas from the well into said tube above said separation, means for preventing gas or water from passing downward into the receptacle for the'water from the upper separated interior, and means for applying an aeriform body to the water in the lower portion of the tube for the purpose of raising said water to the surface of the earth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRED JOSEPH MOSER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE P. SMITH, EDWIN A. COLEMAN. 

